Self serve dispensers have become a common sight in grocery stores throughout the country. These dispensers allow consumers to purchase any quantity of a product by simply retrieving the product from the dispenser in any desired quantity. In this way, consumers are not limited by prepackaged products, manufacturers need not prepackage their goods for purchase by the consumer, and grocery stores are able to stock more product in limited spaces.
These dispensers are generally used for distributing loose bulk items, which the consumer places in a bag or collection device provided adjacent the dispenser. The dispensers have found wide acceptance in the distribution of coffee, grains, candy, rice, beans, nuts, bolts, nails and other products that are easily distributed in loose form.
Among the most common dispensers currently employed in grocery stores is the upright dispenser which relies upon the force of gravity to dispense a product through a nozzle that is selectively opened and closed by a consumer. In use, the consumer generally places a bag beneath a nozzle outlet and opens the nozzle to release the items stored within the container of the dispenser. Once the nozzle is opened, the product freely flows out of the container, through the nozzle and into the bag placed below the nozzle.
One problem with nozzles employed in such dispensers is that they generally rely upon a single barrier to control the flow of product from the container. When these barriers are moved even slightly, the container outlet of the dispenser is opened and product begins to freely flow from container. Even slight movements of the barrier are often enough to cause the product to freely flow, thus product can end up on the floor of the store because the consumer may be unprepared for the immediate product flow. Even when consumers intentionally move the barrier, they often do not expect such slight movement of the barrier to release the free flow of product. When this occurs, the consumer either overfills his or her bag, or inadvertently spills some of the goods flowing from the dispenser.
As such, a need exits for a dispenser capable of distributing loose items, while also providing a substantial amount of control to the consumer gathering the product from the dispenser. The present invention provides a flow regulator and dispensing system which provides such control to consumers.